


The Hole in the Sky

by Nyxknack



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, i know this isnt going to get a whole lot of hits, mostly posted just to help writer friends, not sure what to tag this, or any at all really, still a good little read though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-25 22:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4978357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyxknack/pseuds/Nyxknack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yet another start of the game fic complete with an additional OC!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

This was not going as planned, at all. Oryx gripped her dagger tighter, as if holding it was the only thing keeping her from falling off into the sky. That was hardly even a turn of phrase anymore. There was a giant fuck off hole in the sky, right above where her and her brother were sent to spy. 

Fuck fuck fuck fuck shit fuck

Her brother, where was her brother? She had an idea. He was in a keep some distance down the valley from the hole. Where in the keep, she had no idea. Hell, She didn't even know if he was even alive anymore.

A surge of panic raced through her heart at the thought. She chastised herself. She had to keep it together. Being hysterical wasn't going to solve anything. 

It had been a week since the explosion had destroyed the big religious building. Her brother said it was called the concave, or something. She hadn't bothered to remember or really listen to the mission debriefing at all. Darien could have done it by himself. Oryx just came because she wanted to see more of the world. At 23 she had still not seen much beyond her clans yearly migration route. Now she was kicking herself for her immaturity. She should have listened to the briefing better. What if Darien had told her some critical piece of information about the land that she could have used to make a daring rescue? What if..

No, Oryx stopped herself again. That was not going to help anything. She had hardly slept or eaten since the explosion. It was not surprising that she was getting increasingly susceptible to panic. Her mental state was deteriorating. 

She knew she should make her move before she lost her wits entirely, but she also knew that there was nothing more dangerous than terrified humans. A dallish elf caught sneaking into the keep to rescue another one who fell out of a strange rift at the site of the explosion? Yeah, it was a death wish at best, unimaginable torture at worse.

Oryx choked back a sob. What were those monsters doing to him? He was innocent but they would never believe an elf. They would torture him till he broke and agreed with whatever they had already decided he had done. Death would be a blessing for him at this point.

She could always leave and go back to the clan to get help. Maybe they could get a team together to save him. Or maybe they would tell her all hope is lost and abandons her brother to his fate. 

No, Oryx had to stay until she got confirmation of his fate. She could never live with herself if she had let even the smallest of chances slip by. She would continue to wait and watch. Surely an opening would appear. She just had to be patient.

\---------

Uggggghhhhhhhh

The world was a blurry mess of shapeless colours and sounds. Darien squirmed on the ground. It was still solid, at least.

"Jfjfjsl! Djdndjskkdm." A voice above him said. He couldn't make any of it out. If the world would kindly stop spinning and twisting he could get his bearings, but it showed no signs of stopping. He tried to push himself off the ground, but he barely moved before his arms gave out and he slumped back down onto his back. 

"Jfhfhrjdkek." The voice was calmer this time, almost soothing. A bright light shown above him and a warm feeling covered his entire body. Darien recognized the feeling; the clan mages had a healing spell that felt this way. Was the strange mage a dallish elf or was healing spells feeling like a warm blanket and a cup of soup a shared trait among all cultures? 

"Jfjfjdksoeiejf." The voice said. Darien opened his mouth to respond but only a horse sound came out. I guess the spinning world had stolen his voice along with all his other senses. A matching set.

The spinning and blurring was getting less intense. Vague shapes were returning back to the world. There was figure above him. It was most likely human, elf or a very skinny quanari. 

"Thwkek mtkelw kekek." Said the voice. Well he was making out separate words now. Still didn't understand them but progress is progress. The figure learned down closer to him.

Darien squinted his eyes, if he could just focus a little more. His head it was very pale and round, like the moon? No, too dramatic. Like an egg? Yeah, that sounded right.

"Soljde! Yir hf nekek ah fjrjrjkm." That was not from egg. Darien tilted his head up towards the new noise shape. There was a figure standing in a slab of light. An open door seemed like the most plausible option. 

"Drkie." The egg replied, turning toward the new shape. He then stood up and walked out of the room.

Darien felt his heart sink. His only friend in this new disorienting world was abandoning him. How could he do such a thing! Did he not remember the good times, like when he made him feel all warm and that time when Darien fell down? What a bad egg.

Three new shapes entered the room. Two were bulky and the sounds of metal scrapping against metal were made with every movement they made. The other was straight but soft, like a blade of grass or a noodle. Their presence was almost calming till Darien focused on where a head is usually located. Something was wrong with its head. It was abnormally large and the top part was a straight horizontal line. He instantly felt unease. There are no animals or races with boxes for heads. That is not how nature works. It's unnatural!

They continued to approach him. Darien felt a rush of fear take over him. He pushed himself backwards on his backside away from the intruders. Where was egg when you needed him?

His muscles were more responsive now but it was all for not. The back of his head rather painful found the back wall of the room, halting his escape. An explosion of stars and lights filled his eyes, also pain. Great, now he could see even less. This was truly an amazing plan.

Any further self-deprecation was cut short. The two bulky metal sounding figures where on either side of him. It vaguely reminded him of a rather pleasurable night with a very open minded couple back in Kirkwall. He opens his mouth to make a dirty joke but he was rudely interrupted by them grabbing him by the shoulders and lifting him up onto his feet.

They proceeded to drag him toward the light, the noodle one saying gibberish in a soothing tone. This also reminded Darien of a different night in Kirkwall, but they didn't seem like the talkative type. Darien described to keep the story to himself.

\----------

Something was happening at the keep. Humans were buzzing in and out like hornets. What had happened to disturb the nest?

Oryx dropped down from the tree she was perched in and crept closer to the keep. They were distracted, she could risk getting closer.

She pressed herself behind a large tree several meters away from the keep. The trees branches offered plenty of shadow for her to blend in with. She had also developed her own natural camouflage from not washing for a week.

Now that she was closer, the humans were more defined now. Instead of a swarm of ants, Oryx could make out faces and details on clothes. If she focused hard enough she should be able to pick up some of their conversation.

"Kdorjfoe Eleds prisonble mdm him uoo mi." Said the human swarm. It was no use; there was too much noise. She might have heard the words prisoner and him, but she wasn't certain. Her strained mind could just be tricking her into hearing what she wanted. 

Since hearing was useless, Oryx pulled out her small scouting binoculars. They were a gift from Darien after she passed her scouting test with flying colours. They were human made; he said he had them commissioned from a smith in Kirkwall. She had never believed that part, assuming it was a flourish to make the story better. Who ever heard of an elf commissioning a human for anything? But after seeing the way he seamlessly blended in with the other churchgoers, maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe his powers of charm and persuasion were powerful enough to over come the racial bias against them. Maybe it was enough to keep him alive in there. Or maybe it sealed his fate, making him bold enough to enter the concave on the first place.

She put them up to her face and focused on the crowd outside of the main gates. Oryx quickly spotted the leader. Her presence was palpable even from sight alone. All the other humans moved around her like waves against a rocky coastline. They would rush up to her, she would command them and then they would pull away, with the vacancy being filled right away with more humans, to begin the cycle again. It was beautiful in a hypnotic way or maybe she was just really really tired.

A new person came and broke up the flow of the waves. They parted the sea of others as they strode up to the leader. Oryx turned her attention to him. His baldness was the most striking thing about him. She may not understand fashion but even she knew it was an odd choice. But then he turned and she could see his ears. They were pointed! He was an elf! A strange bald egg elf, but and elf all the same. Maybe there was hope for her brother after all.

The leader said something to the egg. He nodded and set off along the path away from the keep and towards the hole in the sky. Then a hooded woman approached the leader. She obviously had more rank then the others since after saying something to the leader she followed her back inside. With the leader gone, the swarm of humans began to settle down like the tides changing from high to low. The usual traffic in and out of the keep resumed, like nothing ever happened.

Panic began to rise in Oryx. She had seen something but it just rose more questions then answers. Who was the elf? Should she follow him? Was he her best option for rescuing her brother? A feeling of unease slowly began to spread. No, she couldn't place it but she didn't trust him. Maybe it was because he was working with humans. Maybe it was because she didn't like eggs. Either way, she decided to trust her gut and not following him.

Something else would happen soon after that display she deduced, tricking herself into believing there was some string of logic behind all these events. The adrenaline of the new stimuli began to leave her body, reminding her of her ruined state. She needed a nap. Surely, the next one wouldn't happen till she woke up. That would be too cruel.

She slouched down the tree and onto the ground, her body making the decision for her.

\---------

Darien hands were bound now. It was not a positive development but at least he wasn't tied to some sort of terrible torture chair. It was the small things that really mattered in times like this.

The strange green mark on his hand started to flicker and then exploded. He grimaced. It hurt but not much. Honestly being forced to on his knees hurt more at this point. The time they had him kneel in this dark, dank room felt like an eternity. With him still slipping in and out of consciousness it was impossible to tell how much he was exaggerating. 

He could try to ask one of the many guards that surrounded him, but that was pointless. They would point their swords at every slight movement he made. If had been in a more lighthearted mood he would have made game out of it.

The door was flung open and two women entered the room. Darien was immediately struck by the presence of the first one. He could gleam her personality from her movements. They were strong and forceful but with grace. She was clearly very disciplined; she was not some thuggish lout throwing their weight around, like most humans he encountered.

The guards sheathed their swords as she walked a slow circle around him, like a predator eyeing its prey. 

"Tell me why we shouldn't just kill you now?" She asked. Well, well, that is quite the introduction. Her voice was a forceful, direct and beautiful. What was that accent? He had never heard anything like it before.

"The conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you." She finished, waiting for a response.

"Everyone?" Darien was shocked. "That's terrible!" Truth be told, he was mostly concerned with only one individual, his sister. She hadn't gone into the building, so perhaps she was safe.

"Explain this" she grabbed his hand bindings raising his arms to his eye level. The mark on his hand crackled and sparked, right on queue. The little shit. 

"I can't." He stammered. His voice was still weak, depleting him of his charisma, right when he needed it most. Perfect timing! 

"What do you mean you can't?" She barked. Clearly that was not an acceptable answer. He would have to try another tactic.

"I don't know what that is or how it got there." He said a little more smoothly. Well, at least he said more words this time.

"You're lying!" She grabbed his shoulders. Her grip was very strong. There would certainly be bruises next time he had the chance to look, a little souvenir to remember her by. 

"We need him, Cassandra." The other women pulled her back from him. The woman named Cassandra shot her companion a furious look. The hooded women said nothing, her face calm. Cassandra relented and her expression dialed back from very angry to noticeable pissed. There was a pause in the conversation, now was his chance. 

"All those people..." He said mournfully. He was exaggerating the truth a little. The explosion really was a terrible tragedy, but beyond the chance of his sister getting caught in the explosion, there was little to hold his personal emotional investment. Cassandra, on the other hand, clearly had it in spades. If maybe he sounded a little sadder then he really was, maybe she would be kinder to him and maybe that would keep him from being killed. And in the end, wasn't keeping more innocent people from being senselessly slaughtered the most important thing?

"Do you remember what happened? How this began?" The hooded women asked. Cassandra began to pace around the room again, watching his every movement for a sign of weakness or deceit. 

"I remember running. Things were chasing me, and then...a woman?" This was no act. Darien tried to his recall the memory, but it was not much use. It was fuzzier then his head space when he first woke up.

"A woman?" She asked. That had caught her attention.

"She reached out to me, but then...auugh." He strained, but his memory ended there. 

"Go to the forward camp, Lelianna. I will take him to the rift." Cassandra commanded. Whoever that strange woman was, she had just saved his hide. He would have to send here a fruit basket for her kindness.

"What did happen?" Darien dared to ask now that Cassandra wasn't giving him a constant death stare. 

"It will be easier to show you." She helped him on to his feet, her grip noticeable softer. She led him outside into the cold winters afternoons light. Thundering booms echoed through the valley. Darien looked up. The sky was torrent of clouds circling a very large green rift in the sky. It was constantly shifting and crackling, just like the mark on his hand. No wonder they had been so suspicious of him. It was a rather obvious sign he was connected to it, somehow. 

"We call it the breach. It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. It is not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the conclave." Cassandra explained. Her tone was forceful as always, but there was a distinct stroke of melancholy. He couldn't blame her for tossing him around earlier, this was clearly very serious.

"An explosion can do that?" Darien asked, hardly believe what he was seeing. 

"This one did. Unless we act, the breach may grow until it swallows the world." Her tone was dire. This wasn't a drill, ruse or any sort of tomfoolery. They may well be witnessing the end of the world, as they know it. A thunderous boom echoed down the mountain as the breach exploded, becoming even bigger.

"Auurhrhh!" Darien cried in pain as his own mark responded in kind. It was so intense he fell to his knees.

"Each time the breach expands, your mark spreads and it is killing you. It maybe the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time." She crouched to be at his eye level. 

Wait, now she thought that he could help? She was so convinced that he was evil earlier. Had he actually changed her mind? And she was going to commit to this new direction without being a brat about it? He had never seen such a display of character and integrity. Darien could feel an intense warm sensation swell inside of him. Later he would recognize it as love, but for now it was enough to turn his charm back on.

"I understand." He said, looking her straight in the eyes. She had played her cards, now it was time to show her what kind of man he really was.

"Then?" She asked, clearly barely able to believe that he was cooperating.

"I'll do what I can." His tone was serious but he put the full force of his charisma behind his words. "Whatever it takes." That line was so smooth Darien was surprise some doves didn't spontaneously appear to fly behind him dramatically.

Cassandra said nothing. Ha! It worked! She nodded and cut his hand bindings. Free, he was able to get up by himself. She rose with him and started to walk down the path towards the breach. Darien did not need to be told to follow. He would follow her anywhere.

\--------------

Oryx awoke with a jolt. There was commotion coming out of the keep again. She groggily rubbed ever eyes to get her bearings. The sun was still out so she could have not been asleep for long. 

She managed to stand with more then a little help from the tree. It was proving to be a good ally in these trying times. She leaned against it and gazed down at the keep. 

The leader walked out, holding another person by the shoulder. As soon as he came into the light Oryx recognized him, it was her brother! He was alive!

A shot of adrenaline pumping through her veins. If she were in better shape she would have sprinted towards him, but her brain was too fried from exhaustion. She was frozen in place in shock.

They both looked towards the breach, then it exploded. Darien cried out in pain and fell to his knees.

Tears spring to Oryx’s eyes. No, he couldn't be dying right when she finally saw him again. He wouldn’t do that to her.

The leader crouched down and spoke to him. He replied and then they both stood up. She started to lead him away from the keep. He followed.

Wait, what? Why? He was not bond in anyway. Why was he not trying to escape? Did she threaten him? She better not have. If she so much as touched on hair on is head she would...

Do nothing, apparently. They were already away from the keep and halfway through the nearby village, while Oryx was still leaning against the tree. 

She had to go after them! She pushed herself away from the tree for momentum. And started to trudge through the snow and the brush. She couldn't catch up to them but she could at least keep them in her sights.

She had been following them for a few painful minutes when they reached a bridge. As they crossed a bright light flashed and the bridge exploded, sending them down onto the frozen river.

Now that made Oryx’s body kick into high gear. She pushed herself as fast as she could through the snow to get to a new vantage point. When she finally could see them she could hardly believe her eyes. Their were two corpses on the ground that were nothing that like she had ever seen before with her own eyes. They looked like drawing she had seen of demons. Was this the work of the hole? How was that possible? Why the hell did those things want to come here?

Oryx's pondering was cut off short. Darien and the leader had already moved on. Oryx cursed to herself. It wasn't fair! They were walking on a well-worn path while she slogged through knee high snow. They were well rested while she was exhausted!

Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes. She felt like a little kid discovering the injustices of the world for the first time. Running around, trying to find someone else who cared.

Her brother always cared. Now matter how stupidly petty and small. He had always been there for her, now it was her time to be there for him. 

With new determination she resumed following them. Nothing was going to stop her now!

In retrospect she will wonder why she didn't just get out of cover and walk on the damn path like the others. But for now she was too blinded by righteous determination. She continued to tread on.

\---------

The couple had expanded to a whole company of soldiers. They were making a charge at the breach with everything they had. It had been Darien’s decision, sort of. Cassandra and Lelianna came up with two plans of attack as an ornery cleric clucked at them like an old hen at them; completely ineffectual but annoying nonetheless. Cassandra let him decide because he had the mark so she wanted to do whatever he felt was the most comfortable. He was the key to their salvation, after all.

He was still reeling from her turn around from captor to guardian. Now she was asking for his opinions and following his choices. She even defended him from the hen! He had never seen anyone so noble, so willing to admit that they are wrong, so willing to let their ego go for the benefit of others. He would have stared dreamily off into the distance if he wasn’t ass deep fighting demons. Right, he should probably focus on that.

They were at the conclave, or at least what was left of it. Rubble and burned corpses littered the ruin. It was a positively ghastly sight. He would have to take Cassandra somewhere extra nice after this whole rift business was settled.

"Urrrggggghhhhhh!" The giant rift demon yelled as swung its arms at the warriors. Darien threw down a smoke bomb and disappeared. He reappeared behind the demon, lunging both of his daggers into its flesh. He quickly pushed back off and fled as it turned around to swat him away, demon blood showering in his wake.

For someone who was fighting unimaginable horrors for the very first time, Darien had to admit, he was taking it rather well. He was cool, calm and collected as he strafed around the demon looking for his next opening. Was this an effect of the mark? Had it scrambled his brain so that fear did not affect him so much anymore? Or was this the true strength of his character? He would never know for certain but he guessed the truth lived in some hazy place in-between. 

"Now! Do it!" Cassandra commanded. The demon had finally fallen and the rift was open. Darien raised his marked hand to the rift for hopefully the last time. The mark pulsed and pulled at the rift. It was much more intense then the others, a strange feeling spread from his hand down to the rest of the body. He had to hold! Just a little bit longer!

Suddenly, the rift exploded. The connection to his mark severed. Darien collapsed on the ground, his consciousness quickly fading. Maybe this was the end. Maybe the mark had taken something away from him each time he and now he was all used up. It's a shame he was going to die so young, but had to admit, he was certainly going out with style. His only regret was for his sister. He still didn't know where she was. She was probably sick with furry or concern. Hell, knowing her, probably both. 

He heard someone yell near by. It was distinct he recognized it. Could it really be? But he was finally pulled out of the waking world before he could find out.

\--------

Fuck shit ass cunt dick pussy ass fuck fuck

Darien and the humans were fighting a giant demon, a real one, in the flesh, here in not the fade. There was no good excuse; Oryx was simply cowering in the shadows because she was afraid. The scariest thing she had ever fought was a great bear and a particularly angry durffalo. This was way out of her league.

Her brother was fighting valiantly for a rouge. He weaved through his companions around the demon, lunging when it was open and dodging when it attacked. She felt a twinge of annoyance. How did he make everything look so easy? She watched him with envy and admiration.

"Now! Do it!" the leader yelled. The demon had fallen, now Darien had to do that thing to the hole with his hand. The hole responded by exploding and he collapsed. 

"Nooooo!" She automatically yelled. She was not going to lose him again. Not after she got this close.

Fear of losing her brother over took everything else. Time slowed down as Darien crumbled to the ground, and she her feet fling her from her hiding place as if they had a will of their own. A few of the humans approached her brother, swords still drawn, as she barreled down the hill.

"DONT YOU TOUCH HIM!" She screamed. That got their attention. The swarm turned to her, readying their weapons, but Oryx was too blinded by rage and fear to care. She made it to her brother’s body and drew her weapons. Her face a mess of dirt, grime and tears. She looked and felt like a feral animal, baring its teeth at a threat.

"Stop! She is only a child!" Cassandra commanded, waving her hand back at the swarm.

Child? Child! There was nothing Oryx hated more than being infantilized. She then did the most stupid thing she would do in her entire life; she swung one of her daggers at Cassandra.

Cassandra hit her hand back with all the effort of someone swatting a fly. That was more then enough; Oryx’s dagger was flung from her hand. Before she could respond, Cassandra hit the palm of her hand to Oryx’s forehead, sending her flat on her back. Cassandra walked to her and stood over top of her, her two legs straddling her, pinning her to the ground.

"Calm yourself, elf. We will not hurt him. He will get the medical attention he needs. You do not need to worry. He is a hero. His actions have saved us all." Her tone was strong but compassionate. Oryx could tell she was being genuine. He really had saved them, hadn’t he? Her anger and panic subsided as a wave over other emotions over took her.

Oryx only nodded in response. Tears silently streaming down her face. It was all too much.

"Good." Cassandra smiled. She then got off of her and extended her hand.

Oryx hesitated but she took. The weariness of the week was over taking her. She doubt she could stand up without some kind of assistance, might as well be hers. Cassandra pulled her up to her feet and gave her a nod. She then turned her attention to the swarm of humans.

Free at last, Oryx went back over to her brother and knelt down beside him. He was lying on his back with his marked hand stretched out to the side of him. Poetic posing; it would look good in a painting.

She gazed at his face more closely. His skin was clammy and his breathe shallow. It was not an easy sleep he was in. She felt worry starting to rise up in her chest again. No, he had come so far he had to make it. This couldn't be the end. 

"Please, please wake up!" She prayed softly, gripped his shoulder as if she focused hard enough she could force him to wake up through touch alone. But it was no use. He made no response.

"...and Solas, you can take care of her." Cassandra gestured to Oryx. She had finished ordering her soldiers around now she had to deal with the stray cat.

"That would be a waste of my talents. I need to be with prisoner. Who knows how much damage closing that rift cost him, perhaps it made the mark unstable. I need to study him carefully." Solas furrowed his brow at Cassandra, annoyed that he should be assumed to babysit just because they both had pointed ears.

Oryx shot him a dirty look. She didn't want to be with him either but she still didn't appreciate his tone.

"I will handle the kid, seeker." Varric volunteered. There was a hint of self-defeat in his tone. "I have plenty of experience with siblings getting into extraordinary situations."

"Thank you, Varric. Now, you two.” Cassandra pointed at two near by soldiers.  
“Take him back to haven. He needs to see a healer at once." They nodded and went over to Darien’s body.

Oryx gripped her remaining dagger tighter. If they thought they could just take him away from her again...

"It's okay, kid. Your brother is in good hands. Seeker won't let anything happen to him." Varric reassured her.

She looked back down at him. There was nothing she could do for him now. She needed to give him up to someone who can. She got up and stepped away from him, giving room for the two soldiers to pick him up.

"Gently now. He has been through enough today." Cassandra said to the soldiers. She turned to Oryx, her powerful gaze on her. "What are your names?" In all the excitement she had forgotten to ask.

"I'm Oryx, he is Darien." She said in a small voice. Exhaustion was taking over her. She didn't have the energy to be angry any more.

"Those are good names." Cassandra replied. Not the typical elven names she has heard, all feminine I and L sounds. But then nothing about this situation was typical. She gave a small bow to Oryx and turned to make her leave. The two soldier carrying Darien and Solas close behind.

"I think you dropped this, kid." Varric handed Oryx her dagger. That startled her, she had forgotten all about it. She took it from his hand and clumsily put it back in its sheath.

"Let's get you to a nice warm bed. Maybe some can cook you up some elven grub. What would that be? Some leaves, halla and human baby tears?" He joked, trying to lighten the moon. She looked so forlorn. She must have had one hell of a week.

Oryx weakly smiled at the joke. It was better then nothing. He patted her on the arm and set off back to Haven. She followed a few steps behind. 

As they made it out of the temple, Oryx looked back up at the hole in the sky. It was less turbulent now, but still very much there. A feeling of dread washed over her. She got the feeling she and her brother would not be heading home for a very long time.


	2. Aftercare

He had to move faster. There wasn't much time! Darien climbed up the side of the impossibly tall mountain. Just a little bit more...

“Arrrgg!” He cried out in pain as a glob as acid slime hit him on the leg. He looked down to see his attacker. There was spider’s dozens, no; hundreds of them behind him, slowly pursuing him up the mountain.

"Take my hand!" A voice from above called out. Darien looked up and strange glowing women at the top of the ledge. She was extending a hand out to him.

Darien pushed himself further up the mountain. He reached out his hand to hers; he was so close, he had to make it. 

Their hands meet and they tightly held on to each other. She started to pull him up much more rapidly then physics would allow. As he got close she grew more abstract. She was some how still pulling him up right towards her face. In any second they would collide into each other. Darien closed his eyes and braced for impact.

\-------

Darien awoke with a start. His eyes flung open and his body jumped at the imaginary crash. Oh, thank the maker. It was only a dream.

His vision was blurry for a few second as he got his bearings. Where had they stored him away this time? He felt movement on the bed. There was someone else here! In his bed no less. Maybe it was the beautiful Cassandra. Surely she would want to keep an eye on someone as important and attractive, such as himself.

His finally focused and the figured was most certainly not Cassandra. It was Oryx gazing down at him with an angry expression on her face. Her right arm posed above her shoulder ready to punch him.

"Aiiie!" He screamed rather unmasculinily and shielded his face with his arms. Good think he was comfortable enough in his own skin not to worry over such displays. It sounds very tiring and bothersome.

"You are not a demon, aren't you?" Oryx asked, her voice deadly serious.

"No, no, no! I am still me! Honest! A demon would never put on such a pitiful display." It was true. It was rather pathetic.

"Okay, good." Oryx signed and lowered her arm. She said nothing for a moment as she caught her breath. She must have been as scared as he was. Darien let out a relaxing sigh as well.

"You mother fucker!" Oryx yelled. She was on the offensive again. Arm raised to strike. 

"Whoa, whoa! Slow down, da'fen. Surely we can talk this out?" Darien pleaded. He didn't want a mark over his eye to match the one on his hand. It would be unfashionable.

"I thought you were dead!" Her tone was still angry but sadness was crackling through. Oh, dear. She must have had a terrible time while he was away. He felt a rush of sympathy for her.

"I am sorry the humans captured me." Darien apologized. He might have felt for her, but he did nothing wrong. She couldn't justify socking him in the face for that.

"You think this is funny?" Oryx did not appreciate the non-apology. 

"Of course not. Whatever gave you that idea? I am always completely serious when it comes to you." He joked. Maybe she would feel better if he lightened the mood.

"Do you want me to punch you?" She did not appreciate that either. Levity and humor weren't working. It was time to be sincere.

"If that would make you feel better, go ahead." He lowered his arms to give her an opening. "I am sorry I worried you, firefly. I missed you too." He said softly. Fuck, whenever he used that nickname she knew he was serious. Oryx began to felt her anger crumble away.

"Fuck!" She forcibly hugged him, as if she was trying to squeeze the life out of him. "Never do that again." Tears welled up in her eyes and ran down her face. Darien could feel them on his shoulder.

"I can't make that promise, da'fen. I am far too sexy and dangerous." He teased, a suave smirk on his face.

She pulled away from him and gave him a look. He was only partly joking. She would have to punish him for his hubris. She pinched him on the arm.

"Oowww! Okay, I yield!" Darien cried out. He had to admit he deserved that one.

"Good!" Oryx smirked at him, proud as a cat who caught the canary.

The sat in silence for a minute, Oryx let out as sigh of relief. No matter what happens next, at least she had her brother. Darien rubbed his arm in a vain effort to make it feel better faster. That really hurt!

"So, are you really sure about these humans? I have been here for 3 days avoiding them, especially that angry lady with the scars. It's not a stretch to imagine how she got them." Oryx shivered at the thought.

"You mean the lovely lady Cassandra." Darien’s face lite up just at the thought of her. "Oh, she is wonderful, such a precarious treasure." He trailed off, distracted by how attractive she was. 

"Did they torture you are something?" Oryx asked. She had never seen him so smitten before. They must have done something terrible to him.

"No! You misunderstand!" He waved his hands at her. "She is truly the most noble person I have ever meet. She is just so…" He stopped there, distracted again by the oxytocin that flooded his brain whenever he thought of her. It was amazing that he didn't start drooling.

“Are you sure we are talking about the same person?" Oryx gave him a good hard look. He couldn't be serious, could he? 

"It...its a long story" Darien brushed off. He was also surprised at his overwhelming infatuation. Better to explain this latter when he is more awake. He didn't want to get too...excited. Oryx had been traumatized enough already.

"But she's!" Oryx interjected. He was actually being serious! This wasn't a joke. He was getting all squishy over a human, an angry human no less.

"She is what? Too pure?" Darien asked dreamily. He genuinely had no idea. It was useless.

"I just don't get you sometimes." Oryx sighed and put her face in her hands. She of all people should know how strange his tastes can be.

"So what have you been doing for three days? Surely you didn't spend them all hiding in the shadows." Darien asked, ignoring her exasperation at him. She would understand eventually.

"Hangin' out with that dwarf guy, Varric. He's cool." Oryx shrugged. She wouldn't admit it but if it wasn't for Varric these past three days would have been just as bad as the week she spent alone.

"Oh, yes him! We have meet. He helped kill the big demon thing. He's a gem." Darien had not been with him long, but he seemed like a pleasant fellow.

"Yeah, he looked out for me since Cassandra is too terrifying and the egg is an asshole." Oryx grimace like she just tasted something unpleasant. 

"You don't need to tell me. He abandoned me in my hour of need." Darien laughed at the memory.

"Are you serious? Do you want me to punch him for you?" Oryx clenched her fist. He was most likely joking but if he wasn't...she was going to make that egg wish he had never been laid!

"No! No! He didn't actually....it's a long story" Darien sighed. It would be best if he didn't make jokes about that topic for a while. Oryx was still too touchy about it, the sweetheart.

"We should get you out of bed. Your girlfriend wants to see you." Oryx rolled her eyes and jumped off his bed. Extending him a hand to help him up.

Darien said nothing, but a big cheesy grin light up his whole face, clearly thrilled of the idea. That was supposed to be a joke! Not something to get all googly about. He sat up and reached for her hand.

"I give up." She sighed. He was a lost cause. Using her palm she knocked him on the forehead, sending him falling backward onto the bed.


End file.
